IQOS- 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. 



all queens ready to mate. Roughly, as that used here by the Dadants 

 this may be known by the age, but themselves. Their capacity is prac- 

 where the apiarist is anxious to re- tically unlimited, since additional 

 duce risk of loss as low as possible, stories can be used when needed. It 

 then he may release only those vir- must be remembered also that the box 

 gins which constantly open and shut hives are used in Europe to produce 

 the vulva. Such queens may be re- chunk honey and the frame hives in- 

 lied upon to fly and mate at once, variably (or nearly so) to produce 

 Commercially, it would probably be extracted honey. 



unprofitable to go to the trouble in- i8. In regard to the amount of 



v^olved in such observations. honey in the hives, 45 per cent, of 



Providence, R. I., Dec. 10, 1904. t^e swarms came out from hives hav- 



ing from nothing to twenty pounds 



of honey. 41 per cent, when there 



SWARMING. were twenty to forty pounds of hon- 



. . ey, and only 14 per cent, when there 



Conditions and Their Influence. ^gre from forty to sixty pounds. It 



By Adrian Getaz seems by that, that when the colonies 



are disposed to swarm they do it be- 



THE REPORT of the Society of fore having full provisions. 

 Department de la Meuse con- 19. The amount of empty combs at 

 tinues in the Apiculteur. We the disposition of the queen to lay in 

 ind the following questions and an- is the most important factor in in- 

 wers by the members: ducing swarming. Only 20 per cent. 



15. Concerning the exposition of of the swarms came from hives hav- 

 he hives. Those turned to the east ing empty cells in the brood nest, 

 :ive 61 per- cent.; those to the south- and 80 per cent, from those in which 

 ast only 6, and those to the south the bees were crowding the queen. 



I per cent, of the swarms. The oth- 20. A lack of ventilation or an ex- 

 r directions none, except two per cess of heat increases considerably 

 ent. to the northeast. The report the disposition to swarm, but no def- 

 dds that most of the apiculturists, inite figures can be given. 

 a rather nearly all, place their hives 21. The swarming takes place from 

 urned toward the south, or about; fo^r to thirteen days after the open- 

 lence the larger number of swarms jng of the main flow (which in that 

 rom these directions. p^rt of France is from the sainfoin.) 



16. It IS known that the bees need -^^^^ average is six or seven days. It is 

 large quantity of water for brood- noted here that this is largely a ques- 



earing, and it might be suspected ^ion of locality, and in other places, 

 hat the closer the water is, the more entirely different dates would obtain, 

 rood would be raised, and that more „, . . . ^, 



warming would ensue. The report ^4. The majority of the swarms 

 oes not show it to be so. The api- cjuster at a distance of eighteen to 

 ries at a distance from the water ^'^''ty ^^et from the hives Only three 

 ave as many swarms as those placed P^F ^^"t- ^? ^eyond 100 feet 200 feet 

 loggj. being the limit. This, like all the re- 



17.' Size of the hive. The box Po^t, is in regard to first swarms with 

 ives of a capacity of 35 to 40 cubic ^^Y^^^ queens A swarm with a vir- 

 ecimeters gave 60 to 70 per cent, of &'" ^^^ ^o almost anywhere. 

 warms. The frame hives, one story, 25. It was intended to ask where 

 f 50 to 60 cubic decimeters, gave 25 the swarms clustered, what proportion 

 J 30 per cent. The large Dadant on trees, bushes or on the ground, 

 latt hives only 5 per cent. One of etc., but unfortunately the printers 

 le members, Mr. C^uillemain, report- forgot to put it in. The members are 

 \ that with the Dadant Blatt hives, requested to report on this next year. 



is very seldom that he has any 26. Half of the swarms observed, 

 varm at all. clustered between three feet and six 



To have any idea of these sizes I feet above the ground, 18 per cent. 

 lust state that an American cubic below that, some of them on the 

 lot equals Z2> cubic decimeters. The ground. Only 12 per cent, clustered 

 adant Blatt hives are about the same at more than twelve feet above the 



